Though he’s been playing from a young age, has four, now five studio albums under his belt with Primitive Son, Eli Cook me be one the best blues guitar players you’ve never heard of. Others have including peers like Robert Cray and the legendary BB King, both of whom have had Cook share the stage.

The guy oozes real southern blues, channeling the feel of John Lee Hooker to Muddy Waters, Bukka White to Lightning Hopkins. While deftly mastering every blues lick and more, Cook does it without making it feel old. Much of this come from, the blues gets wrapped up in some grittier hard rock. Good examples of this include The Great Southern Love Kill, featuring Pat Travers and Artimus Pyle, Amphetamine Saint featuring fellow blues dude Eric Gales, and and War Horse, a thumping heavy rock number. If he wanted, I believe Cook could forge some blues metal.

Yet there’s something for the hardcore purists like the smoldering blues groove and guitar of Burying Ground and simple steel guitar moves of Tall & Twisted. Cook also offers a lighter side turning acoustic within Won’t Be Long or Swing A Little Harder, which moves more upon the chord structure and vocal arrangement than the blues soloing. But mostly, Cook and company are busting a heavy rock groove, combining it with his attention to melody and blues licks as with Motor Queen and Revelator. Oh yeah, did I mention that Eli Cook can sing, his baritone voice is strong and varied throughout. For real blues hard rock that channels past greats, yet invokes modern influences, Eli Cook is difficult to beat. Easily recommended.